Prior to the release of 1989's STEEL WHEELS, most rock fans figured that there was a better chance of spotting the Loch Ness Monster than catching the Stones in concert again. Band founders Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were waging a bitter verbal battle in the press (and issuing solo albums), while longtime fans criticized the Stones' last few unfocused studio efforts. It appeared like the band was done for, until Jagger and Richards reconciled and reunited the other boys in the band for their first U.S. tour in nearly eight years. The tour was one of the most successful ever undertaken by a rock band, as all the mammoth shows were instant sell-outs, including selections from all eras of the band's vast catalogue. It's still a kick to hear such longtime classic-rock radio standards as "Start Me Up," "Miss You," "Paint It Black," "Brown Sugar," and "Sympathy for the Devil," as well as such overlooked classics as "Factory Girl," while later compositions like "Continental Drift" fit in well. Also included were two new studio recordings, "Highwire" and "Sex Drive."